MTH 40" S FLEXTRACK SHIPPING

Hello Gardner,

      I just went to the   MTH Shipping schedule and the 35-1004 40" Flex Track shipping date says Cancelled! So maybe there won't be any at this time or never.

Don 

This particular SKU is the 40" Flex Track Section {24 Pack}, I think maybe the SKU you looked up is the smaller Pack of, I believe, 12 or 6, I`ll go look it up and see, but the 24-Pack is on the water or in port now.

I looked up the SKU numbers and the #35-1005 [24 PACK] says shipping March and the #35-1004 [6 Pack] says cancelled.

Here`s the MTH Dealer shipping List for March 1st. The S-Flex Track is at the bottom.

http://mthtrains.com/dealer_news/1

Hello Mark,

     I am sorry I didn't look far enough. I will keep that in mind in the future.

Don

I would like to use this track for my new layout since I could then run scale and a little hi-rail.  But I cancelled my first order of track for now since I do not see any options for turnouts.  I was happily going to use "Tom's Turnouts" but that not a viable option anymore. What is everyone else doing? 

How is the tie spacing on the S track?  Is the size of the rails 'in scale' with S gauge?

Sam,

The tie spacing is right on and consistent with class I railroads.  As far as the rail height, it measures around .137", more or less, depending on production runs.  That roughly corresponds to 155# rail.  For some, that's too heavy, but for most folks, that's just right.  I bought a large supply of SHS rail years ago and used it for my new layout.  I don't regret it a bit!  When installed and ballasted, it looks great.  Rail height can't be determined by most folks with the naked eye anyway.  Unless you have it side by side with "scale" track, you cannot tell the difference.  My old club's display layout had three routes of trackage, two using SHS track and the third using Tomalco track.  VERY few folks could tell the difference if you didn't point it out.

On my layout, I am using hand built turnouts using a Fast Tracks jig and Tom's Turnouts style frogs.  They work great, but are a PITA to build.  Well worth the effort, though. 

Your results may vary....

Jerry,

Can you explain how and why you use the Fasttracks turnout assembly jig and Tom's Turnouts frogs?  Photos would be helpful too.

Thanks.

Not crazy about "rolling my own" so much - but yes, do tell!

You can mate this flex up with MTH or Lionel turnouts if they ever get released. As for what you can do today, as was already mentioned Fast Tracks www.handlaidtrack.com has Hirail code 125 turnout building jigs which produce turnouts that will also work with the flex.

It's kind of a shame because this is the best flex I have ever used in any scale in my entire life.

Oh yeah, http://www.custmtrax.com/ was doing custom runs of their turnouts with the same rail that the flex uses a while back. Bill Lane had some done and they looked good.

Thanks Jonny. Your answers are always well thought out and informative. I thought of using the existing AF & MTH turnouts - just wanted some longer options (#6, 8's, & 10's) and don't see them doing any for who knows how long.  I have a little Tomalco code 100 flex and and 3 #7 turnouts to try out.  AM's track is nice but a little taller than I would like to go and only one turnout option available with the them also.  

Was considering getting a small order from CustomTrax (code 100) to try out.  Others have said he does nice work.  Maybe I can have him do some turnouts with MTH rail and build a few myself (gulp) and go with the MTH flex.

Johnny's link to the Fast Track site will answer most questions.  The mfgr. doesn't like to do hirail, but if you order a code 125 jig, the MTH (former SHS) rail will work.  The guard rails have to be modified as to distance from the stock rails if you're running hirail.  That's probably why the mfgr. doesn't like hirail.  His jigs are for scale only.  If you're running scale items, the jig can be used as-is.  But the video tells a lot of how it works.  Very informative.  Hirial requires a bit of modification to the frog/guard rail area.  If you're trying to accommodate both scale and hirail, you have to try to copy Tom's frog.  As far as the frog area, Tom's Turnouts used a "ramp" at the point of the frog to coax the scale wheel flanges away from the frog point.  For me, it was a matter of experimentation to get it right.  Sorry, that's the best I can do.  I didn't take a lot of in process photos.  The nicest thing about the Fast Track option is that you can order different frog sizes.  All mine are Number 6, by the way.  A good compromise between space and looks. 

A friend of mine used the jig to make his own version which had a swinging frog, much like the old SHS turnouts.  Very nice, but very complicated to make by hand. 

By using the flextrack rail for the turnouts, you are assured of mating up to the track perfectly.  But the lack of rail was one of the main reasons Tom quit the turnout business. 

I heartily agree with Johnny's evaluation of the SHS (now MTH) flextrack.  Very flexible and easy to use.  And IF Lionel and MTH ever gets their turnouts in customer's hands, the flex track is the best option for laying track.  Not that I have anything against their sectional track, but I'm cheap....

Here's a crossover on my layout using the turnouts I made.  Nice and smooth.  By the way, I also made them power distributing.  Not exactly the way most guys do it, but to each his own.

Jerry,

Thank you for the info and photo.  Your goal is to run scale and hi-rail...makes sense to me now.

The Fasttracks website lists hi-rail #4, #6, #8 turnout assembly fixtures, though for code 125 rail.  I asked Fasttracks about Proto64 turnout assembly fixtures (code 83) and they custom cut them at no extra charge.  Worth contacting them about special orders.  Great products and service.

Thanks again for the post...your trackwork looks great. 

Matt

Fast Tracks now also makes hirail jigs for code 125. SHS/MTH rail should be around code 131 if I recall. Close enough that you could make it work. http://www.handlaidtrack.com/S...s.asp?Search=hi-rail

Nice job Jerry. Looks good.

Paws2k, Thank you for the kind words. I try to be as informative and share as much as possible to help others out. I probably let my frustration shine though too much, but that's only because I like S scale so much and it is so close to being something really special that it pains me to see it moving in the wrong direction.

>> the rail height, it measures around .137", more or less, depending on production runs.  That roughly corresponds to 155# rail.  For some, that's too heavy, but for most folks, that's just right.

Too heavy or just right would depend on what you are modeling.  While the PRR used 155# rail, it should be noted that it was used only for the mainline, only west of Harrisburg and only after a certain year (which I have forgotten).  So, as a general rule of thumb, if you are modeling something other than PRR, it will be too heavy.  If you are modeling yards and sidings or branch lines, it will be too heavy.  If you are modeling an area east of Harrisburg, it will be too heavy.  And, last but not least, if your layout is set in an era before that certain year (which I have forgotten), it will be too heavy. 

Now that we all know this, does it really matter?  Probably not, but it is an interesting factoid for those who do care about extreme accuracy.

Cheers....Ed L.

My point exactly, brother Ed.  It probably doesn't matter for most folks.  It is, indeed on the  high end of being completely scale and those who want that extreme accuracy will go with lower height, more scale trackage.  The thread started with the post on 40" flextrack and the MTH/SHS flextrack works for a lot of us simply because of its ease of use.  Let's face it, we're a diverse bunch here in S Land, but for the majority of us, the MTH/SHS track is just fine.  It satisfies the need for folks to get track down and run trains.  Ballasted and weathered, it's a time saver over hand laid track and can accommodate a wide variety of S items.  The lack of turnouts, however, is another story.

Hi Jerry,

Nice looking turnouts.  I happened to notice a ‘guard rail’ where your flex enters the turnout on a curve.  My guess is this is because some of your equipment was picking the point.  I know you have checked your wheel gauge so most likely we can write that off.

Do you remember the spacing you used from an open point to the stock rail?  The radius of the curve could also be a factor.

I just noticed only the left hand turnouts have the ‘guard rail’ even though the far right hand turnout appears to be a mirror image as far as placement is concerned… interesting.

Just curious,

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

Tom,

The extra guard rail is necessary for Flyer steamers which have a sloppy gauging on the leading trucks.  After these photos were taken, I painted them black and they're not as obtrusive.  As far as spacing of the open point to the stock rail, I used a dime for a gauge.  The spacing is a few thousandths less than its diameter, while the Flyer items have a few thousandths more than a dime's diameter as their gauging.  But then, my production tolerances aren't as close as yours.

Hey Jerry,

I found the Flyer pilot trucks to be a problem, too.  Although, only the sheet metal; ones like on the Atlantics and 283s.  The cast trucks, K5, Hudson, and Northern have not given me any trouble.  I bought a box of #2 nylon washers that are .02” thick that I use as shims for the sloppy trucks.  The washers need to be reamed a little and then I cut a wedge out of them to make them like snap-on ‘C’ washers… slicker than door knob stuff.

I know you can use a dime to gauge the back to back for Hi-rail and Flyer wheel sets, I prefer a pieces of 23/32”, aka ¾”, hardwood for my gauge.  It’s all very close to the same.

I didn’t understand how you use the dime for the spacer between the stock and closure rails.  I would think a dime way too narrow.  I used a 9” S scale tie – 9/64”.  This leaves plenty on clearance for Flyer wheels and still allows for an H0 ground throw to be used.

Tom Stoltz

in Maine